Always and only you
by JA Baker
Summary: Rommie has to deal with the death of her husband: Admiral Dylan Hunt
1. Dylan

This story takes place around 40-years after the start of Andromeda. I'll try not to include too much in the way of back-story that my conflict with the on-going storyline.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Andromeda, I'd be writing episodes, not fan-fiction.  
  
Always and only you.  
  
It seemed a travesty that the sun was shining, but then, Dylan always had like the sunshine. The crowd of mourners sat in silence around the graveside as the priest read the eulogy. Harper moved his hand to cover Rommie's, trying his best to comfort her, but knowing it was impossible.  
  
Slowly, the coffin containing the worldly remains of High Guard Admiral Dylan Hunt sank into the ground. Fresh tires welled up in Rommie's eyes as the coffin vanished from sight. A hand gently squeezed her shoulder, and she looked up to see who it was. A tall, hansom man in High Guard captains uniform stood behind her, tires flowing from his own eyes.  
  
The funeral ended, and Rommie had to suffer hours of people offering their condolences for her loss. She knew a lot of it was political: her marriage to Dylan had offended a lot of people, and was probably the reason he had never risen above the rank of Admiral. Sure, he would always be remembered as the man who all-but single handily rebuilt the Commonwealth, but his marrying an Android had upset a lot of people, including several highly place women who had designs on him themselves.  
  
The High Guard captain walked over to her, and she smiled slightly, "Paul." The man hugged her tightly, "Mother." Even after all these years, Rommie was still amazed that Paul even existed. Trance had explained it once, how she had used Rommie's physical appearance and characteristics to work out what her DNA would have been if she had been human, and combined it with a sample of Dylan's to created their son.  
  
Rommie released her son, "When do you have to leave?" Paul bowed his head slightly, "Tonight: we're part of a task-fore being sent to make first contact with a new species in the Triangulum Galaxy." Rommie nodded, "So this is farewell." Paul frowned, "So you still plan to go through with it then?" Rommie nodded, and kissed him on the cheek, "What else can I do?" Paul held her tight, "Goodbye."  
  
Crying slightly as her son walked off, Rommie spotted a tall, well built Nietzschean striding towards her. He stoped before her and bowed his head, "My parents send their condolences, but FTA business has kept them from being here themselves." Rommie nodded, "I understand Arthur: Beka and Tyr have their hands full with the new trade-bill." The Nietzschean bowed and walked off.  
  
Rommie turned to Harper, "It's time." 


	2. Rommie

Always and only you.  
  
Rommie sat on the observation-deck, looking out the window: this had always been Dylan's favourite view. Harper stood to the side, leaning heavily on his walking stick, "Are you sure you want to go through with this? It's irreversible." Rommie nodded, "If Rev Bem was right, I'll be with Dylan again. If not, at lest the pain will be over." Harper nodded, understanding: as the rest of them had grown old, Rommie had stayed the same, never aging. He had seen the pain in her eyes when Dylan had gotten sick, and again when the doctors had said there was nothing more they could do for him.  
  
Maybe if Trance hadn't gone off, she might have been able to do something: but no one had seen her in almost ten years. He handed Rommie a data-pad, "Code 1-5-1, then return." Rommie smiled, tires again filling here eyes, "Thank you Seamus: you're a true friend." Harper squeezed her shoulder, then turned and left.  
  
Alone with just her thoughts, Rommie looked at the data-pad: it was nothing more than a keypad and screen, but it was the key to her plans. Andromeda's holographic form appeared beside her, "So this is the final farewell?" Rommie nodded, "I'm sorry to leave you like this, but I can't stand not being with him." Andromeda nodded, "I understand. I'll miss you." Rommie couldn't help but laugh, "How can you miss me? I'm you." Andromeda shook her head, "No, your so much more than that: you're a true individual, you always have been." Rommie smiled, "Thank you. Tell the crew not to be sad: It's better this way." Andromeda nodded and blinked out.  
  
Rommie slowly entered the code Harper had given her into the data-pad. She took one last look out of the window, "I'll be with you soon Dylan, my love." Here eye's still fixed on the starts, she pressed the return key.  
  
Andromeda waited an hour before informing the crew. An honour-guard formed, and the crew stood to attention as Rommie's inert body was carried out of the observation-deck and along the corridors to the waiting shuttle.  
  
Harper stood alone at the graveside. There was no crowd of mourners this time, no priest to read the eulogy. Despite all Rommie had ever done, he was the only one there. He knew that Tyr and Beka would have been there if they could have, but they where on the other side of the known universe, and Paul was away on a mission. He thought of the others: Rev Bem, dead many years, but his presence still felt at times of pain and suffering. Trance; somewhere out in deep space, trying to find the peace she had always sought. Dylan, his friend and mentor, lying in the same grave he stood by now.  
  
He turned to read the headstone: Here lie Dylan and Andromeda Hunt: Officers of the High Guard. Long may their memory last.  
  
He gently kissed the top of the headstone, "Goodbye, my friends." 


End file.
